For
Muscatine County Iowa
1911
| Biographies For Muscatine County Iowa 1911 | |
Source: History of Muscatine County Iowa, Volume II, Biographical, 1911, page 55
SEABURY BREWSTER COOK. Seabury Brewster Cook, a well known and leading resident of Muscatine, has been prominently identified with the financial interests of the city for the past four decades, having acted as cashier of the institution now known as the Muscatine State Bank since its incorporation. His sound judgment has also promoted the success of various other enterprises and since 1896 he has served as president of the Muscatine Lumber & Box Company.His birth occurred in Norwich, Connecticut, on the 11th of January, 1844, his parents being George and Sarah ( Brewster ) Cook, who were natives of Connecticut and Ohio, respectively. The paternal grandfather, who was born in Connecticut, was lost at sea. His wife, who bore the maiden name of Abigail Bushnell, lived to be nearly eighty years of age. The Brewster family history has been well written by Emma Brewster Jones, of Walnut Hills, Cincinnati, Ohio. The great-grandfather of our subject in the maternal line was Seabury Brewster, who participated in the Revolutionary war and was on the prison ship Jersey when they exchanged. His wife who bore the maiden name of Sallie Bradford, was a descendant of Governor Bradford. William Brewster, the maternal grandfather of S. B. Cook, was born in Norwich Connecticut, belonged to the seventh generation descended form Elder William Brewster, who came to this country from England in the Mayflower. He served in the war of 1812, proving a most loyal and valiant soldier. He was twice married, his first wife being Miss Lucretia Fuller, by whom he had two children: Sarah Bradford Brewster; and Lucretia, who passed away when twenty-nine years of age. For his second wife, William Brewster chose Miss Harriet Hamlin, of Ohio. The son of that union, William, wedded Miss Georgia Williams in Muscatine and lived here for a number of years but passed away in New York city. William Brewster, the grandfather of the gentleman whose name introduces this review, came to Iowa with his second wife about 1855, locating in Muscatine, where he lived retired until called to his final rest. His wife, who survived him for some years, passed away in Wilton, Iowa.
George Cook, the father of Seabury Brewster Cook, was engaged in business at Norwich, Connecticut, as a merchant tailor. In the fall of 1861 he came to Muscatine with his family and here spent the remainder of his life in honorable retirement, passing away in the faith of the Congregational church when seventy-nine years of age. His wife is also a devoted member of that church, still survives and has attained the advanced age of ninety-three years. They had five children, four of whom grew to mautrity: Seabury B., of this review; George B., who is deceased; Edward C., deceased, who was assistant cashier of the Muscatine State Bank; and Harriet H., the widow of Professor F. M. Witter, who was the organizer of the public school system of Muscatine and recently died at Biloxi, Mississippi.
Seabury Brewster Cook spent the first seventeen years of his life in his native state, acquiring his education in the public schools of Norwich. In 1861 he came to Muscatine with his parents, here following the profession of school teaching during one winter term. He then worked in the shoe store of W. F. Johnson for about two years, on the expiration of that period he entered the banking house of Isett & Brewster as a bookkeeper. That firm was succeeded by the Merchants Exchange Bank, which later became the Merchants Exchange National Bank, which in turn was succeeded by the First National Bank. Mr. Cook continued in the employ of these various banks until the fall of 1869. On the 1st of February, 1879, a new and private bank was established and organized by S. B. Cook, and the late Charles Silverman, the enterprise being conducted for several years under the firm style of Silverman, Cook & Company. About 1875 P. M. Musser became a member of the firm and the name was subsequently changed to that of Cook, Musser & Company. That style was retained until 1896, when the enterprise was incorporated under the state law and became the Cook, Musser & Company State Bank and Trust Company. On the 1st of September, 1908, it was made the Cook, Musser & Company State Bank, while in January, 1910, the institution adopted its present title--- the Muscatine State Bank. As above stated, Mr. Cook has acted as cashier since its incorporation. A wide-awake, energetic business man, he has done much to promote the interests of the institution with which he is connected and has become thoroughly conversant with every department of banking. He keeps well posted on the financial interests of the country and in his managment of affairs has followed a safe, conservative policy which has won the commendation of the patrons of the bank and gained the confidence of the general public. He has not confined his interests wholly to his banking interests but has become identified with other enterprises, having for the past fourteen years served as president of the Muscatine Lumber & Box Company.
Mr. Cook has been married twice. In 1872 he wedded Miss Seny Chaplin, a daughter of Charles and Helen M. ( Sherman ) Chaplin, who were early settlers of Muscatine and here passed away. That union was blessed with one son, Robert S., now a resident of Roswell, New Mexico, who married Miss Gena V. Nichols, and has one daughter, Sarah Marie. Mrs. Seny Cook was called to her final rest in 1894, when forty-six years of age, passing away in the faith of the Congregational church. For his second wife Mr. Cook chose Mrs. Mary Magill, a native of Muscatine and the widow of Samuel Magill. Her parents, Alexander and Lucy ( Daily ) Jackson, took up their abode among the early residents of this city.
On politics Mr. Cook is a democrat, while fraternally he is identified with the Masons, belonging to Iowa Lodge No.2, A. F. & A. M.; Washington Chapter, No. 4, R. A. M.; and De Molay Commandery, No, 1, K. T. His home at No. 419 West Second street is the abode of a charming and gracious hospitality. Mr. Cook lived in Muscatine for the past half century and has long been numbered among its most enterprising and respected residents.
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